My wonderful ‘angel on Earth’ celebrates his 40th birthday today. He’s in Melbourne with his family (I do have to share him sometimes) and will be having at least one celebration at Melbourne’s Press Club on Sunday afternoon.

He has been a part of my world for over 8 years now and I’m so glad he’s here. He’s designing and building the kitchen and bathrooms for our new home (6 Antuyle Court, Alice Springs) so he’ll certainly have his mark all over the property.

A very Happy Birthday, honey. Only half way to 80 now!!

The 3rd annual Tourism Central Australia Awards will take place tonight at the Alice Springs Convention Centre. The event booked out weeks ago so with over 300 in attendance, it’s bound to be a fantastic evening. It’s also a fun-raiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

We’re all winners who choose to live in The Alice!!

I drove my new Lexus IS 250 Prestige from Darwin to Alice over then past couple of days (via Katherine and Tennant Creek). She’s stylish, sophisticated, elegant and smart!!

Sold # 24 yesterday – contracts signed – for more than 3 times what I paid fot the property just over 10 years ago. Nice return on investment. Pity about the CGT!!!

Met with Troppo Architects in Darwin on Thursday about our new home to be built over the next 12-18 months.

Successful meeting in Tennant Creek last night with stakeholders in the www.headspace.org/centralaustralia concept.

What a wonderful world!!

I believe that, over the past 60 or so years, we have evolved a (mostly Western, developed) society that has become dependent well beyond it’s time rather than independent and become a society of ‘victims’ rather than ‘survivors’!!

When we are children, we are dependent. That’s a given. We rely upon the adults in our world to provide us with love, guidance, food, shelter etc. We go to school and the adults in our world organise our days for us – we just go along with what is arranged.

Adolescence is a ‘transition’ phase where we learn to become independent, stand on our own two feet and make our way forward into whatever our life’s journey The Universe has in store for us.

There are too many people out there (not only Generation Y but others) that have not moved forward from the Transition phase and still expect ‘society’ to cater to their needs or wants without offering anything much in return.

It’s time for the ‘victim mentality’ to be over!! We must all be survivors of whatever out past (the rear vision mirror) has conjured up for us and ‘drive our journey’ through the windscreen of our journey machine!! We can’t change whatever happened 2 minutes ago (when I started this blog) let alone what happened months or years ago. We can only experience the present and hope/believe in the future. We each have to be in the driver’s seat – not the passenger seat of back seat. We are responsible for our own well-being…no-one else.

All religions are a con designed to make some people very rich at the expense of keeping others in ‘chains’!! They (especially Catholicism & fundamental garbage) are based in fear and retribution. Spirituality is a different experience. Explore your spirit!!

The world (for many of us) is a most remarkable place and adventure to experience!! Drive your journey forward, stay in the driver’s seat, invite passengers as they are useful to you, drop them off when they’re not and never give your ‘keys’ away to anyone otherwise you’re no longer in charge.

Go forth with love – enjoy the ride!!

Last week, Alice Springs proudly hosted the 13th annual ARTN Conference at the Convention Centre.

With over 120 delegates from regional Australia involved in the tourism industry, the Conference delivered a fantastic variety of information and experiences. From the Welcome Dinner at the Old Telegraph Station through workshops and fields trips (the Indigenous Tourism one was spectacular) to the Closing Dinner at Ooraminah Homestead, the 4 day program was a great success. Of particular note were the accolades and praise that the teams from Tourism Northern Territory received for their outstanding achievements within industry. It’s such a pleasure to be associated with this group of positive, proactive and popular network.

Next year’s event will be hosted in September amidst the stunningly beautiful Yarra Valley, about 1 hour north of Melbourne in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges.

Just a reminder that Alice Springs’ annual Rainbow Picnic is being held at the Old Telegraph Station form 4pm this coming Sunday 13th September.

The annual gathering of local and visitor gay & lesbian folk (and their children) is part of the celebrations for the Alice Springs Desert Festival. BYO everything……..food, drinks, chairs, blankets, games etc. Look for the rainbow flag flying high!! Come along and join in the fun. We love to celebrate our diversity, our pride and our fabulous Alice Springs!!

It’s my (not 18th) birthday today. May I thrive at 55!! So much going on. Waking up in Sydney this morning having enjoyed a lovely dinner out with my family last night. In the Business Centre of Tempe-On-Cook (my sister’s place) right now – fly back into Alice Springs on 9.45am QANTAS flight.

The valuer will meet me at #24 Raggatt Street at 1.30pm and then value the block of land out at Stirling Heights. Then contracts will be exchanged and hopefully settlement on the block in a couple of weeks.

Next week in the Regional Tourism Conference in Alice Springs (looking good) that I will attend throughout. Have an Indigenous Toursim day tour on Tuesday so that should be great. A few other sessions to attend plus I get to catch up with Glenn from OM4 Tourism on Monday for breakfast on Monday. He’s presenting a workhop at the conference. He’s been so very helpful with ideas for me (including writing these blogs) so it’ll be great to introduce him around Alice Springs.

Get to fly to Darwin on 9th September to pick up my new Lexus (10th) and meet with the architect from Troppo Architects who will be involved in designing my new home. Will drive back into Alice on September 11th.

So, the beginning of my 56th year is looking pretty impressive – I can only hope it all continues.

Today (26th August) marks 16 years since I left Sydney (which ironically is where I am right now) to begin my new life in Alice Springs. What an adventure it’s been!! So many wonderful experiences have come my way – I can only hope that the next 16 years delivers more of the same!!

Remember – it’s not just the life but the legacy that matters!!

Click an image to see a larger version.

These images are of the 1450m2 block located 6km to the west of Alice Springs near the magnificent Desert Park. The plan is to build our new Troppo-style (see www.troppoarchitects.com.au) home on this block over the next 12 months. Large, elevated to take in the stunning views, open plan with verandahs all around incorporating plantation louvres, indoor/outdoor entertainment space with plunge spa, 2 bedrooms, 2 offices and two bathrooms (one with a spa bath). Undercover garage and cellar. So many ideas to contemplate.

As part of my emerging tourism profile, I’ll continue to promote Alice Springs, Central Australia and the Northern Territory via the NT Gay and Lesbian Tourism Australia member networks. The idea will be to actively promote GALTA member products through web-based profiling based on the ‘rainbow corridor’ (from Adelaide through to Darwin) and ‘rainbow triangle’ (covering Broome, Cairns and Adelaide) concepts. I’ll promote those member products that can provide accommodation (currently Crowne Plaza Alice Springs, Voyages Alice Springs, Aurora Alice Springs, Winnecke Wonderland and Toddy’s Backpacker Resort), tours (e.g. Wayoutback Desert Safaris, Sacred Earth Safaris, Alice Springs Helicopters, Alice Wanderer Centre Sightseeing, Tailormade Tours, Outback Private Tours and Centre Highlights), travel (Harvey World Travel), entertainment (Araluen Cultural Precinct), attractions (Alice Springs Desert Park, Winjeel Aboriginal Art) and bookstores (Absolutely books).

With the ‘bundling together’ of GALTA member ‘pods’ along the corridor and through the triangle arms, the aim is to encourage clusters to enter into co-operative marketing campaigns with their local RTA and STOs.